Planning for 2026? Here are all the major India government holidays you should know

The Central government has released a notification announcing the public holidays for 2026. In addition to the fixed holidays, every government employee is allowed to choose any two holidays from the list of Restricted Holidays.

The Central government public holiday calendar 2026 includes 17 holidays next year, including Republic Day, Holi, Bakrid, Good Friday and more.

Read below to find out the Indian government's holiday list 2026.

List of public holidays:

• January 26, Monday: Republic Day
• March 4, Wednesday: Holi
• March 21, Saturday: Id-ul-Fitr
• March 26, Thursday: Ram Navami
• March 31, Tuesday: Mahavir Jayanti
• April 3, Friday: Good Friday
• May 1, Friday: Budha Purnima
• May 27, Wednesday: Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid)
• June 26, Friday: Muharram
• August 15, Saturday: Independence Day
• August 26, Wednesday: Id-e-Milad
• September 4, Friday: Janmashtami
• October 2, Friday: Mahatma Gandhi Birthday
• October 20, Tuesday: Dussehra
• November 8, Sunday: Diwali
• November 24, Tuesday: Guru Nanak Birthday
• December 25: Christmas Day

List of restricted holidays:

• January 1, Thursday: New Year's Day
• January 3, Saturday: Hazarat Ali Birthday
• January 14, Wednesday: Makar Sankranti
• January 14, Wednesday: Pongal/Magha Bihu
• January 23, Friday: Basant Panchami
• February 1, Sunday: Guru Ravi Das Birthday
• February 12, Thursday: Swami Dayananda Birthday
• February 15, Sunday: Maha Shivratri
• February 19, Thursday: Shiva ji Jayanti
• March 3, Tuesday: Holika dahan
• March 3, Tuesday: Dolyatra
• March 19, Thursday: Gudi Padava/Ugadi
• March 20, Friday: Jamat-Ul-Vida
• April 5, Sunday: Easter Sunday
• April 14, Tuesday: Vaisakhi
• April 15, Wednesday: Vaisakhadi / Bahag Bihu
• May 9, Saturday: Rabindranath Tagore Birthday

• July 16, Thursday: Rath Yatra
• August 15, Saturday: Parsi New Year / Nauraj
• August 26, Wednesday: Onam
• August 28, Friday: Raksha Bandhan
• September 14, Monday: Ganesh Chaturthi
• October 18, Sunday: Saptami
• October 19, Monday: Mahashtami
• October 20, Tuesday: Mahanavmi
• October 26, Monday: Maharishi Valmiki Birthday
• October 29, Thursday: Karwa Chouth
• November 8, Sunday: Naraka Chaturdasi
• November 9, Monday: Govardhan Puja
• November 11, Wednesday: Bhai Duj
• November 15, Sunday: Chhat Puja
• November 24, Tuesday: Guru Teg Bahadur Martyrdom Day
• December 23, Wednesday: Hazarat Ali Birthday
• December 24, Thursday: Christmas Eve